So I will be the first to confess that this Hot Buttered Rum Apple Cider is not the most beautiful cocktail on the planet- BUT- it might just be the tastiest.
Imagine a cocktail that tastes just like your favorite buttery apple crisp and this is what you have in this cocktail.
It is not health food (there is a stick of butter in this recipe). But when we are approaching a holiday where the cocktail of choice typically involves raw eggs and heavy cream, you’ll probably forgive me. 😉
This weekend we finally got a breather from traveling and got to enjoy some of the festivities around town in San Diego. We went to Julian, CA, which is this little town in the mountains (not far from San Diego, so it doesn’t really count as travel), that feels like walking into a Christmas storybook. It’s so quaint and charming and you can eat pie to your heart’s content, go hiking, drink cider, and buy your Christmas tree all in one go. 
Not to mention that for those of us non-California-natives Christmas-time with palm trees just doesn’t quite feel right, so it gave us the opportunity to wander among the pine and cedar trees and feel like we were back up north.
And of course, after a day in the brisk mountain air, all one wants to do is come home, curl up by the fire, and have a cup of this hot buttered rum apple cider.
I’m definitely an apple cider snob, and so I do not recommend the various “juices” that they sell at the grocery store claiming to be cider. If possible you should get local fresh-pressed cider, but you can make do with apple juice in a pinch (I guess…).
The rum that I am absolutely obsessed with is from a local distillery called Malahat Spirits. The rum is definitely worth checking out (and as you can see from my photos, we’ve used it many times now). It has a very unique spice profile that tastes much more refined compared with our college-years favorite Captain Morgan. But you can certainly use whatever spiced rum is your personal favorite.
Note- You could also just use regular dark rum and just add extra spices to the brew.
I hope you enjoy this cocktail as much as we did!
Hot Buttered Rum Apple Cider
Ingredients
- 2/3 gallon apple cider
- 4-5 cinnamon sticks
- 25-30 whole cloves
- 15-20 allspice berries
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 stick ½ cup salted butter
- 1 cup or more! of your favorite spiced rum (I used Malahat Spirits Spiced Rum)
Instructions
- Pour the apple cider into a stock pot and add the whole spices.
- Bring to a boil, then add the brown sugar and butter.
- Reduce heat to low and simmer for 30-45 minutes, stirring intermittently.
- Stir in rum prior to serving.
Hot buttered rum is my favorite winter toddy, but apple cider takes it to a new level! Can’t wait to try it!
I have never had one! How is this possible? It sounds perfect for a cold night.
What a genius idea to make hot buttered rum with apple cider!! I’m picky about my cider, too. I guess that’s what comes of coming from or living in areas with wonderful orchards. Sorry to hear you’re a bit homesick for Christmas, but I’d trade you gladly! 🙂 For a couple of weeks, anyway, lol!
Mollie
I bet it makes your house smell amazing!
Lovely! I’m just imagining sipping this while setting up the Christmas tree and listening to Michael Buble Christmas carols. Think I’ll be turning that in to reality this weekend 😉
There’s just no getting around the stress of the holidays. But there is a way of getting through it, and that’s with a hot cup of this stuff (or two) on the couch with a good movie and warm blanket. LOVE this recipe!
Such a perfect cozy winter cocktail Sarah! A mug of this and a Christmas movie would be all I need!
Oh my goodness, what a unique recipe. It is the holiday season, so it’s totally a-ok to use all the butter 😉 I totally want to try this, i’m so intrigued!!
This is a perfect drink for this Holiday Season! Merry Christmas to you and your family